Automatic transmission shifters are known for use in motor vehicles. In some cases the shifter employs a shifter assembly mounted to the floor of the passenger compartment of the vehicle or to another suitable part of the vehicle body or frame. Such shifter assemblies often comprise a mounting structure and/or protective housing for at least part of a manually operable shift lever, e.g., for parts of a pivot structure of the shift lever. Various optional or required sensors, cable attachments, lighting units, gear selection indicators and other components may also be included in such shifter assembly mounted to the vehicle. For some such vehicles the applicable government regulations or industry design standards call for a key interlock system and a brake transmission system interlock, often referred to as a BTSI, which operates within the shifter assembly to prevent movement of the shift lever out of the PARK gear setting unless the foot brake is engaged. Variations on the BTSI interlock strategy are known to those who are skilled in this area.
Improvements in the design or functionality of automatic transmission shifters are desired by vehicle manufacturers. In order to achieve improved customer satisfaction and/or other design objectives. Accordingly, it is an objective of the inventive subject matter disclosed here to provide improved automatic transmission shifters. It is an objective of at least certain exemplary embodiments of the automatic transmission shifters disclosed here to provide integrated ignition actuators. Other objectives applicable to some or all of the inventive subject matter disclosed here will be apparent to those who are skilled in this area once they are given the benefit of this disclosure.